Boating is one of the most popular hobbies in the United States and other countries around the world. Some people keep their boats on trailers and take them to the lake or ocean when they want to use them and take them out when they are finished. However, many people store their boats by leaving them in the water. This eliminates the necessity of loading and unloading the boats and makes them readily available.
One problem, however, with leaving a boat floating in the water is that marine growth builds up on the boat hull. In addition, the motors, propellers and any metal portions which extend in the water are rapidly attacked by chemical elements in the water, as well as electrolysis, and deteriorate much more rapidly than if exposed to air rather than water. A further problem is that any small leakage which would not be detrimental when the boat is in use can, if the boat is stored in a long period of time in the water, result in substantial damage to the boat. For all of these reasons and others, it is highly desirable to store boats out of the water.
In order to provide a means of storing a boat out of the water but make it easily launched into the water when needed, pontoon type boat lifts have been devised. As an example, see U.S. Pat. No. 3,727,415, entitled "BOAT DRY DOCKING DEVICE," issued Apr. 17, 1973. This prior issued patent, like others, is pivoted to the front of a boat dock. This means that the rearward portion of the boat lift must sink fairly deep into the water so as to reduce the height of the forward portion of the lift sufficiently to allow the front of a boat clearace as it moves over the submerged boat lift. In addition, as the boat lift is raised with the boat thereon, it pivots the boat which results in the boat being lifted in an arc about the frame pivot axis.
The present invention is directed towards an improved boat lift for mounting in a boat well which has all the advantages of existing types of boat lifts in that it provides an easy means of lifting a boat in and out of the water in a boat well, but at the same time overcomes the disadvantages and limitations of the existed pivoted type of boat lift.
An object of this invention is to provide an improved boat lift for mounting in a boat well. More particularly, an object of this invention is to provide an improved boat lift for mounting in a boat well arranged such that as the lift is moved up and down the frame on which the boat is supported is not pivoted but at all times stays level.
These general objects, as well as other and more specific objects of the invention, will be fulfilled in the following description and claims, taken in conjunction with the attached drawings.